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I purchased a Nepal P53 a week ago at a gun show, other than a cracked stock
everything else seems to be in excellent condition.
Is there any way of finding out when Nepal quit producing this firearm?
Were any of these P53 Nepalese rifles used in the Civil War?
The stock has been repaired, and everything else has been thoroughly cleaned and lubed
it's ready for the range, weather permitting.
 
I purchased a Nepal P53 a week ago at a gun show, other than a cracked stock
everything else seems to be in excellent condition.
Is there any way of finding out when Nepal quit producing this firearm?
Were any of these P53 Nepalese rifles used in the Civil War?
The stock has been repaired, and everything else has been thoroughly cleaned and lubed
it's ready for the range, weather permitting.
You might have better luck posting these questions in the Antique firearms section.
 
Worked on putting a rear sight on my trade gun. Cut and filed down an old rear sight, and used some double stick tape to move it around for the best sight picture. Had planned to solder it on, but my solder skills are mediocre. And with discretion being the better part of valor decided to use J&B instead. If it works as I hope I’ll do a more permanent mount down the road. Might just dove tail it. I’ll try it out tomorrow.
 

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Cast a hundred .595 round balls for my Fusil de Chasse, and started on a new Powder Horn- one of the last Right Side Carries left in my box.
That's a beautiful horn! I have a .490 ball double cast coming, and look forward to making my own shot. Hopefully, someday I will successfully attempt to make my own horn as well. Just getting started, so I am just absorbing information and watching videos.
 
Working on wall mounts to make one of my ML's a wall-hanger. I think it's going to be the Colt Special 1861. It's a beautiful gun, but not much of a shooter. With bayonet and sling it would make a fabulous display piece. I'm running out of room in my gun closet, and something's going to have to find a place on the wall to make room in the closet for the next shootable rifle or musket.
 
I fiddled around trying a leather capper to fit the DIY caps. This one is workable but I want the leather to be just a little thicker. The layer that holds the caps is .140. The backer is thinner and could be thinner still. I also think the holes need to be a little closer to the edge. Might be OK as is when it is oiled and softened. I can always trim the edges back a bit. This is the initial design and will be the guide to the final design.

The two halves are held together with contact cement but in the final will be done with a circle of saddle stitching. The "caps" in the picture are uncharged copper for fit testing.
 

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Stuck a taller sight on my Traditions Kentucky and filed it down, I think my elevation issue is resolved... But I dry balled for the first time before I could verify with a few follow-up shots. Going to brave the cold in the morning and get it locked down! What is everyone's favorite method to ensure the sight doesn't slide sideways in the dovetail?View attachment 275682
I'm not sure if your sight is a little loose in the dovetail, Rlosekamp, but if so, you could shim it with a single strip cut from an aluminium drink can. With a pencil, mark the windage across the flats to where your sight currently is, and tap it out. Lay a strip of aluminium cut from the drink can (the alloy is very thin and I found well suited to the purpose) into the dovetail with some excess sticking out either side. Tap your sight back in to line up with your recorded mark, then trim off the excess aluminium with a box cutter.

If your sight isn't loose, and you just want to firm it up and give it some prevention, you could use some clear nail varnish. Apply it around the junctions and it'll seep and set, locking the sight in - not too much, mind. Remove any excess when wet; you shouldn't be able to see any residue once finished.

I know a lad out here who uses a punch to knock the steel of the barrel of the top flat into the sight. I'm not a fan of this technique, as I feel this mars the finish, also making for difficult removal when maybe wanting to replace the sight at a later time. Punching the sight would be better.

Cheers, Pete
 
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tried working on my cherry build. Learned one shouldn't shape cheek panels while grieving.
my #2 nephew, my oldest brothers second son died in his sleep night before last. 63 years old.
i guess i couldn't see what i was doing so will have to figure out how to save this stock.
length matches the lock inlet but just got too high with the bottom line trying to straighten it out.
maybe cover it with carving to hide the screw up?
My thoughts and my prayers. Try to let the grief help your work, rather than mar it.
 
I'm not sure if your sight is a little loose in the dovetail, Rlosekamp, but if so, you could shim it with a single strip cut from an aluminium drink can. With a pencil, mark the windage across the flats to where your sight currently is, and tap it out. Lay a strip of aluminium cut from the drink can (the alloy is very thin and I found well suited to the purpose) into the dovetail with some excess sticking out either side. Tap your sight back in to line up with your recorded mark, then trim off the excess aluminium with a box cutter.

If your sight isn't loose, and you just want to firm it up and give it some prevention, you could use some clear nail varnish. Apply it around the junctions and it'll seep and set, locking the sight in - not too much, mind. Remove any excess when wet; you shouldn't be able to see any residue once finished.

I know a lad out here who uses a punch to knock the steel of the barrel of the top flat into the sight. I'm not a fan of this technique, as I feel this mars the finish, also making for difficult removal when maybe wanting to replace the sight at a later time. Punching the sight would be better.

Cheers, Pete
Thanks Pete. I ended up taking a punch and whacking the brass dovetail, it seems to have spread the metal enough that it's now secured.
 
Stuck a taller sight on my Traditions Kentucky and filed it down, I think my elevation issue is resolved... But I dry balled for the first time before I could verify with a few follow-up shots. Going to brave the cold in the morning and get it locked down! What is everyone's favorite method to ensure the sight doesn't slide sideways in the dovetail?View attachment 275682
 
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